Diet Hacks —Intermittent Fasting

Diet Hacks —Intermittent Fasting

One of the most popular health and diet hacks at the moment is intermittent fasting. It’s considered one of the best diet hacks because it requires less effort and makes life and dieting simpler—especially considering there is less cooking, cleanup and planning involved. Some use it to lose weight, while others use it to simplify their life and adopt a healthier lifestyle. While many of us cringe at the word “fasting,” the intermittent kind is a different breed—it refers to an eating pattern that includes periods of fasting where you eat very little, if anything at all, for periods of time lasting anywhere between 16 and 24 hours. Once this cycle is completed, individuals typically resume normal eating habits. The most common method is the 16/8 Method, which includes two daily fasts per week for 16 hours at a time, though there are several different ways of doing it. The focus is not on what to eat, but rather when to eat.

Fasting has taken place throughout evolution for different reasons. While there are risks associated with certain types of fasting, much research has shown that intermittent fasting can be beneficial to your health, brain function and weight loss efforts. You consume less calories while burning more, which is the basic premise behind weight loss—but it helps in another ways as well. Intermittent fasting changes your hormone levels to make stored fat accessible, boosts human growth hormone (HGH) levels, lowers insulin and releases norepinephrine, a hormone that burns fat. Research shows that the combination of these factors may increase your metabolic rate from between three and a half to 14 percent.

Be sure to check with your doctor before you try intermittent fasting, as many health conditions may be exacerbated. While the main side effect is really just hunger, it’s important to be safe.

As we mentioned above, there are several methods of intermittent fasting, but here’s a simple way to try it out—the 16/8 method. This includes 16 hours of fasting and eight hours of balanced meals. The best part about this method is that it includes sleep! You can easily do this by finishing dinner by 8 pm and then having your first meal of the day at noon. You’ve probably done this naturally at one time or another. Of course, it’s essential not to binge during your eight hours on. The good news is, many report reduced appetite after the 16-hour fasting period ends.

Try out this awesome weight loss hack and let us know how it works for you. For more health, fitness and diet hacks, visit this link.